Dinesh Mongia hopes for BCCI reprieve under new management

Though the courts let him off due to lack of evidence, Dinesh Mongia was neither charged by the BCCI or banned from playing First Class cricket. And yet his career has come to a standstill following the corruption allegations.

Dinesh Mongia hopes to get rid of his tainted image of alleged corruption in cricket with a change in management at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). He hopes to get a hearing and a second chance citing Mohammad Azharuddin’s case as an example in a recent meeting. He said, “I hope someone in the BCCI hears my case just as they have Mohammad Azharuddin’s.” Mongia was named as involved in cricket corruption by Lou Vincent – a confessed match-fixer – while playing for the now defunct Indian Cricket League (ICL).

Though the courts let him off due to “lack of evidence”, he was neither charged by the BCCI or banned from playing First Class cricket. And yet his career has come to a standstill following the allegations with BCCI not clearing him for domestic activities. But Mongia hopes for a change in that regard.

“There was no evidence against me. I was the only player not to receive BCCI’s amnesty to the ICL players. Ambati Rayudu earned a reprieve (for signing up with ICL) and went on to play for India,” he said as per Cricbuzz.

Mongia is one of the few players who played in the ICL, which drew allegations of corruption, but did not get a chance to extend their careers. A few including Rayudu and Stuart Binny have successfully come back, played for the country and even earned themselves well-paying IPL careers.

“Is it not strange that the BCCI never banned me but has not responded to my requests to clear my dues? I have written to the BCCI and PCA (Punjab Cricket Association) but have not heard from them,” he said.

Mongia, 40, has little chance of playing once again but hopes to get a hearing once again to clear his name as he maintains there is no case against him.